01 November 2014
National:
Fadnavis sworn in Maharashtra CM
Devendra Fadnavis was
sworn in as chief minister of Maharashtra where BJP formed its government for the
first time without an alliance. 44-year-old Fadnavis was administered the oath
of office and secrecy by governor C Vidyasagar Rao in a grand function at
Wankhede Stadium. Apart from Fadnavis, seven Cabinet ministers and two
ministers of state also took oath. Fadnavis is only the second Brahmin chief
minister after Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi in the state dominated by Maratha
politicians. Fadnavis has become the 27th CM of Maharashtra and the 18th person
to hold the post. He is the fourth politician from Vidarbha region to become
CM.
Rajasthan government approves Rs 1,115 crore "Gramin
Gaurav Path" projects
Rajasthan government has
approved a Rs 1,115 crore "Gramin Gaurav Path" programme, a major
road construction project under which about 2,048 km of roads would be built in
33 districts. The state government has approved a major project of "Gramin
Gaurav Path" road construction at a cost of over Rs.1,115.03 crore in 33
districts covering about 2048.62km.
International:
United Nations sets up panel to rethink peacekeeping
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has
appointed a blue-ribbon panel to recommend changes to international
peacekeeping in the face of increasingly complex and dangerous conflicts. The
independent panel, chaired by former East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta,
includes 13 experts from a range of countries who will undertake the first
major review of peace operations in 15 years. The panel will assess the UN’s 16
peace operations and look at the needs of the future, from changing warfare to
administrative arrangements of missions and the protection of civilians.
China experimental moon orbiter returns after 8- day trip
China has successfully
recovered an experimental spacecraft that flew around the moon and back in a test
run for the country’s first unmanned return trip to the lunar surface. The
eight-day trip that ended early marked the first time in almost four decades
that a spacecraft has returned to Earth after travelling around the moon. China
plans to send a spacecraft to the moon in 2017 and have it return to Earth
after collecting soil samples. If successful, that would make China only the third
country after the United States and Russia to carry out such a mission. China’s
lunar exploration program has already launched a pair of orbiting lunar probes
and in 2013 landed a craft on the moon with a rover onboard.
Warren Anderson wanted for Bhopal gas tragedy, is dead
Nearly 30 years after
the horrific Bhopal gas tragedy that killed at least 3,787 people by official
count and a lot more unofficially, the man at the centre of it all and one who
frustrated Indian efforts to get him extradited to stand trial is now dead.
Warren Anderson, Chairman of the Union Carbide Corporation at the time of the
poisonous gas leak from its pesticide plant in Bhopal on the night of December
2-3, 1984, died in Florida. He was 92.
Burkina Faso President steps down
Burkina Faso's embattled
President Blaise Compaore announced that he was stepping down to make way for
elections following a violent uprising against his 27-year rule that saw
parliament set ablaze. His resignation came as tens of thousands of protesters
demanded that he quit immediately after a day of unrest that saw mass protests
and the storming of parliament and other public buildings.01 November 2014
Business & Economy:
ATM use over five times will attract fee from today
Using ATMs (automated
teller machines) to withdraw money or for other purposes such as balance enquiry
beyond five times in a month will attract a levy of Rs.20 a transaction from
November 1, 2014. According to the Reserve Bank of India’s new guidelines, bank
customers in six metros —Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and
Bangalore — are allowed to withdraw money and/or carry out nonfinancial
transactions like mini-statements at ATMs of banks, where they hold
saving/current accounts, free of charge only five times a month. Every
transaction beyond this threshold will be charged Rs.20 per use. Besides, the
number of free transactions at ATMs of non-home banks has been cut to three
times a month from five times. At places other than the six metro centres, the
facility of five free transactions for savings bank account customers will
remain unchanged upon using other bank ATMs.
Core industries’ growth slows to 1.9 % in Sept.
Growth of the eight core
industries dropped to 1.9 per cent in September from 9 per cent in the same
month in 2013 due to fall in output of crude oil, natural gas, refinery
products and fertilizer. The growth stood at 5.8 per cent in August 2014. Crude
oil, natural gas, refinery products and fertilizer output registered a drop of
1.1 per cent, 6.2 per cent, 2.5 per cent and 11.6 per cent, respectively,
according to the data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry. Expansion
in other four sectors — coal, cement, steel and electricity — stood at 7.2 per
cent, 3.2 per cent, 4 per cent and 3.8 per cent, respectively, against a rise
of 13.6 per cent, 12.1 per cent, 10.7 per cent and 12.9 per cent rise,
respective, in September, 2013.
RBS sets aside $639 million for currency probe
Royal Bank of Scotland,
which is majority-owned by the U.K. government, has set aside 400 million pound
($639 million) to cover potential fines arising from international
investigations into alleged manipulation of foreign currency trading.
Sports:
Bindra elected chairman of ISSF Athletes Committee
The country's only
individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, has been elected chairman of
International Shooting Sport Federation's (ISSF) Athletes Committee, becoming
the first Indian to receive the honour.
The ISSF, which is the world body representing the sport of shooting, confirmed
this today in a letter, a copy of which was marked to the National Rifle
Association of India (NRAI), the representative body of the sport in India. The
32-year-old Bindra is the first Indian shooter to be bestowed with the honour.
By virtue of being chairman of the Athletes Committee, Bindra will also become
a member of the Administrative Council of the ISSF.
Saina Nehwal climbs to No. 5 in rankings
India's leading shuttler
Saina Nehwal climbed a place to be ranked No. 5 in women's singles in the latest
Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released. Back-to-back quarterfinal
appearances at Denmark and French Open, where she lost to Chinese Shixian Wang
both times, have helped her reenter the top-5 in the world. Meanwhile,
compatriot PV Sindhu retained her No. 10 position. Jwala Gutta and Ashwini
Ponnappa have also re-entered the top-20 in women's doubles at No. 20. There is
no Indian representation in the top-25 of men's and mixed doubles.
